First Date
by xxkittymexx
Summary: What happens when Ryuji finally gathers the courage and asks Rin on a date?
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Yay! My first fic! I had a bunch of these written out on paper and decided to finally type one up so all you wonderful people can read it and wonder why I still write like a 6th grader (jk… I hope). So without further ado…**

"Ya want ta go on a date?"

Rin looked up from his manga, startled. A red-faced Ryuji was standing in front of his seat. "Huh? Rin asked. "When, with who?"

"With me o'course," Ryuji muttered, now extremely embarrassed and deeply regretting asking out the dense idiot now sitting in front of him. "Whenever's okay with ya."

"Why?" Rin looked confused. "Should I ask the others to join us? I mean, ya don't normally want to hang out with me. You feeling alright?"

"I'm trying ta ask ya out here!" Ryuji finally exploded. "Can't ya tell?"

Rin gazed at him with wide eyes. "I-" He was interrupted by the classroom door creaking open.

"Is that you I hear shouting, Suguro-kun?" asked Yukio as he stepped into the room. He was greeted by a glare from the beat-red boy. "Oh and nii-san. You're up early."

Rin grinned, pulling out the hairclip Ryuji had given him. "I thought I would do some studying for the test you're giving."

Yukio looked at him worriedly. "Nii-san, are you feeling alright? Did you eat something funny? You can tell me if something's wrong."

"Nothing's wrong! Ya told me that I could go on the next mission with ya if I passed," Rin said, scowling. "Have ya forgotten already?" Ryuji couldn't help but think that he looked totally adorable, with his tail twitching in irritation and his face slightly red. That pout was one of the reasons he was constantly bothering Rin so much.

Yukio's chuckling brought him back to reality. "Well then good luck nii-san. I hope you studied hard. Though I wonder how that manga under your textbook constitutes as studying." Rin's face reddened again and he opened his mouth to say something, but the other students began filling into the classroom, and Yukio walked to his desk. Ryuji, with a glance at Rin, walked to his usual seat as well. Rin watched him go, a curious expression of his face.

* * *

Ryuji was heading back to his dorm after his usual morning jog. Rin hadn't mentioned the awkward invitation again, or even talked much to Ryuji at all for the rest of the day. He decided to let it go and act as if nothing happened until-if- Rin brought it up again. When he got to the dorm however, it appeared that would no longer be necessary.

Rin stood there with a huge grin of his face and his tail wagging happily behind him. He was wearing a blue t-shirt (which Ryuji couldn't help but notice was a bit tight) and jeans (which also just so happened to be tighter than Ryuji's self control might allow for), with a large belt and an open grey sweater. He waved, and Ryuji knew his face was getting red again, the thought only making him blush harder.

"O-Okumura! What're ya doin' here?" he stuttered. It couldn't be that Rin was here because of what he had said the day before, could it?

Rin's smile slipped a bit. "I thought we had a date today. Do my clothes look weird?" He started looking a little nervous. "I've never been asked out before so I wasn't really sure…" he trailed off.

"Ya look fine," Ryuji mumbled. "Actually, ya look kinda good. 'Course, a little bit of a heads up woulda been nice. I've got ta take a shower now, so ya can wait in my room if ya don't mind Shima bein' there."

Rin's smile had come back full force by Ryuji's second sentence, and he cheerfully followed the taller boy to his room, where Shima lay snoring in one bed. Rin took a seat on Ryuji's bed.

"Feel free ta wake Shima up if ya want," Ryuji muttered, still embarrassed. It seemed as if he was going to have a permanent blush until this whole ordeal was over. "Or ya can get into my manga or somethin'."

Rin glanced up and his smile seemed to get even brighter, if that were possible. "Thanks, Bon," he said, and immediately grabbed one of the books off the top of the stack.

Ryuji was about to complain about being called Bon, before deciding that it would be okay, at least for their date. He stepped into the bathroom and shut the door, stripping off his sweaty clothes. He turned the water to warm, and relaxed against the smooth wall, his thoughts turning to Rin.

He was amazed the younger boy had decided to come, and wondered if he had fully grasped Ryuji's intentions. After all, it had come completely out of the blue. Ryuji's thoughts drifted towards what might happen if Rin had realized what he meant, and it soon became necessary to turn the water down to cold. He didn't particularly want Rin to hear his name moaned out in a way that would make it _very _obvious what Ryuji had meant. He didn't spend much longer in the shower, and soon left the bathroom with a towel around his waist.

He found Rin chatting with Shima, who had gotten up sometime during his shower. Rin glanced at him when he exited the foggy bathroom, and Ryuji didn't miss the way Rin's eyes followed the water droplets down his tan, muscular chest and stomach into the towel. His earlier thoughts started resurfacing, but he quickly pushed them away, turning to his closet.

He would have just grabbed the first things he saw, but a glance back at Rin's outfit changed his mind. Instead he settled on a black tank-top and dark jeans. He was about to go put the clothes on when he heard an incredulous shout from Shima.

"No way! _Bon _asked you out? Are you sure he was feeling okay?"

Rin frowned, remembering. "Well, his face was really red… kinda like he had a fever. But he seemed okay so maybe he was just bored. Do ya want to join us?"

Ryuji glanced back at Rin and Shima. Shima looked apologetic. "Rin, you sure you realized what Bon was asking you? I mean, I would go along to keep him from jumping you, but your flames should take care of that on their own." He chuckled nervously.

Ryuji's face flamed and he hurried to get dressed before Shima could say anything else weird. He would have to deal with Shima later, as punching him in front of Rin would probably give away that jumping Rin was definitely a possibility. He slipped all eight of his usual earrings in with practiced fingers, but he fumbled a bit with the two new ones he had recently gotten. He gelled his hair up and out of his eyes quickly and stepped out of the bathroom.

"Oi! Let's go Okumura," he called after walking to the door. Rin got up from the bed and moved to follow him.

Shima looked up. "Oh Bon. Could you come here for a second?" Ryuji gestured for Rin to continue without him before walking back to Shima and glaring. Shima, for his part, seemed undaunted. "Well this is a surprise. I didn't think you had it in you. And on top of that, Okumura may be cute and all, but he's still a guy like us Bon." Ryuji's glare could have scared a dragon. Shima began to wilt.

"N-not that there's a problem with that," he said nervously, "but uh, I always thought you liked, uh," he broke off and mimed large boobs with his hands.

Ryuji gave a contemptuous snort. "Don't confuse me you, ya disgustin' perv." He left before Shima had a chance to reply and found Rin waiting for him by the door. Rin wrapped his tail around Ryuji's arm and beamed up at him as he asked, "So where are we going?"

Ryuji mentally smacked himself. He had known there was something he still needed to figure out.

**First off, yes, more earrings. The more piercing the better. My taste in guys scares my friends.**

**A/N: Yay! Its done! The first chapter is up! Tell me what you think! *Turns in the big, sparkly eyes.* Also, invisible cookies for everyone who read this! They are an excellent diet food, though not **_**quite**_** as satisfactory as a real cookie. But at least you can pick the flavor.**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Thanks for all the favorites and follows and reviews, they made me super happy! And wow, a new update so soon? At least, soon for me :P I'm the kind of person who leaves their science project undone until the morning it's due and then goes, "OH MY GOD, that's TODAY?!" **

**Fortunately, writing this is a lot more fun so I'll try to update at least once a week (if this goes longer than three or four chapters.) Now onto the story…**

Ryuji looked down at the grinning boy, thinking back to everything he knew about Rin. An idea started forming in his mind but he wasn't sure what Rin would think about it. After all, they had gone on a mission there that had ended very badly for Rin. He decided to ask, and think of something else if Rin didn't want to go.

"Okumura," he started, but Rin cut him off.

"If we're gonna spend the whole day hanging out, ya can call me Rin ya know. And I'll call ya Bon if ya don't mind."

"Yeah, that's fine, R-Rin," Ryuji said, trying the name out. He liked the way it felt when he said it. "Anyway, I was wondering if ya wanted ta go to Mepphyland. Ya seemed really excited the first time so…"

Rin looked down, conflicted. Ryuji started to regret ever asking, and was going to take it back before Rin looked back up. "Alright, let's go! I was gonna go with Shiemi and the others, but it'll be fun to check the place out more first."

Ryuji almost sighed at the mention of Shiemi, not wanting to remember how much Rin had misunderstood. He thought he had made it very clear that he wanted to be, well, a couple with the adorable boy, but Rin must have been even more naïve than he thought.

While he had been thinking, Rin had unwrapped his tail from Ryuji's arm and run ahead. "Come on, Bon! I wanna ride the biggest roller coaster they have!"

Ryuji never could stay mad at the idiot for too long. "Alright, alright, I'm comin'," he called and quickly caught up to Rin.

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"Wow!" Rin's eyes sparkled as he looked at the big roller coaster. It wasn't the first one they'd been on, but it was by far the biggest. Ryuji couldn't help but think Rin had been exceptionally cheerful throughout the day. He shrugged off the thought that something might be off and got them a spot in line.

"Let's sit in the front, unless you're chicken," Rin taunted him.

"O' course not," Ryuji shot back. "Who're ya callin' a chicken? We'll take the very front seats!"

A smirk appeared on Rin's face. "Actually, you're right. You're more like a rooster than a chicken."

And there went the not shouting at each other. "I'll show ya who's a coward, Okumura!"

Rin's eyes looked instantly downcast. "Sorry, I didn't mean to tease ya so much," he pouted. "It was supposed to be funny."

A guilty feeling came over Ryuji when he realized he had let his temper get the better of him again. Then again, it wasn't like Rin to suddenly get upset like that. "I'm the one who's sorry, Rin," he said, going back to Rin's first name. "We can sit wherever ya want."

Rin cheered up a bit. "Then let's take the very first seats, like ya said," he decided. Ryuji felt a growing sense of dread as it looked like that would be possible as they moved closer to the front of the line. He didn't want to admit it, but he was kind of scared of the roller coaster. Who wouldn't be, the park _was_ Mephisto themed after all.

The feeling only increased as they sat down in exactly the seats Rin wanted. His palms started sweating as the cart inched further and further up the track, and he had to remind himself that he was an exorcist, he was not going to be bothered by an amusement park ride.

All thoughts of not being scared fled his mind when they hit the top, and Rin spared him one glance before they started going down.

"AHHHHHHHHH!" Rin screamed next to him with his hands in the air. Ryuji couldn't even scream. He gripped the handlebars and stared straight ahead, waiting for it to be over.

He got off with shaky legs, Rin right beside him. "That was so cool!" Rin exclaimed. "Lets check out our pictures!"

"M'kay," Ryuji agreed. Hopefully he'd look tough and stoic, not scared half to death. Amazingly, he did. Being scared stiff had its advantages. Rin looked adorable with his hair blowing back and his mouth open, and even Rin's small fangs only added to his cuteness.

He turned to Rin, hoping to prevent another ride. "Ya want ta go an' get some food or somethin'? It's already past noon."

Grinning at the mention of free food, Rin responded with and enthusiastic, "Sure!" His tail was out again and waving, emphasizing his delight. Ryuji couldn't help but wonder what it felt like, soft and silky up to that tiny little fluff at the tip. His face started heating up again, and he wondered if he was going to have a permanent blush around Rin.

"What do ya want? We passed an ice cream stand at some point, an' it's pretty hot out. We could go back to it if ya want."

"How 'bout we share a banana split?" Rin suggested. "I want the chocolate ice cream, and you can have the vanilla."

There was no way he could say no. The idea of sharing a banana split with Rin was tempting enough, and when you added that smile in… "Sounds good ta me. Let's go." He started walking, and started when he felt Rin's hand slip into his. He glanced at Rin, but the boy didn't even seem to notice as his tail joined his hand, once again wrapping around Ryuji's arm. As embarrassing as it was, he couldn't deny that he was glad of the impression they were giving off.

The ice cream stand only had a very short line, and they soon had one of the best looking banana splits either of them had every seen. It had mountains of creamy ice cream and each scoop was topped with an equally extensive amount of whipped cream and sprinkles with the nuts scattered over it perfectly. Ryuji swore Rin was drooling a bit as they sat down.

They ate the first few bites in silence, and a thought occurred to Ryuji. "Rin, have ya done the homework Okumura-sensei assigned?" Rin looked startled before glancing away guiltily. "I'm takin' that ta mean ya haven't."

Rin pouted at him. "We're supposed to be having fun today, not talking about studying." His eyes narrowed with suspicion. "Ya didn't do this because Yukio asked you to, did you?"

"Calm down, I was just goin' ta suggest that we do it together, if ya want. We don't have ta do it today, ya know. We've got the full weekend."

Visibly relaxing, Rin agreed. "Just don't mention it again while we're here." They proceeded to finish of the ice cream. Finally just the banana was left. Rin picked up one half, and it took all of Ryuji's willpower not to attack him as he slowly ate it. Before watching Rin, he hadn't even realized it was possible to eat a banana that teasingly unintentionally.

Rin glanced at his uneaten half, and Ryuji quickly ate it with big bites, just to help him avoid the mental images he was getting. He was half disappointed and half relieved when they both finished.

"Now let's go do some more rides!" Rin cheered, grabbing Ryuji's hand and dragging him off.

"Already?!" Ryuji shouted, before sighing and accepting his fate. He could only hope Rin didn't want to do the big roller coaster again.

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Rin had wanted to do the roller coaster again. Multiple times. But as bad as that had been, Ryuji couldn't deny that the day had been fun. He and Rin had gotten along better than he had expected, and he hadn't lost his temper since the first time, accepting Rin's teasing and joking right back.

"Hey, Bon," Rin said softly by his side. "Do you want to ride the Ferris wheel now? We probably only have time to do one more thing." When Ryuji turned to look at him, he found Rin half behind him with a shy expression on his face. His tail hesitantly wrapped around his waist, and his eyes were opened wide.

Ryuji nodded, glad that Rin hadn't wanted to go on another roller coaster. They walked over and were seated quickly. "Thanks, Bon, for today," Rin said. "I've never done this before, and this was more fun than I can remember having in ages."

"It was fun, huh?" Ryuji agreed, staring at Rin's face. It looked beautiful in the fading light. They lapsed into silence, enjoying the view and the tranquility of the moment. The gentle rocking added to the peace of the moment. When they reached the top, Ryuji glanced at Rin again and found Rin staring at him. He leaned toward Rin slowly until he could feel the other boy's breath and took Rin's closed eyes as permission to continue.

His lips barely brushed Rin's slightly parted ones, and he noticed how soft Rin was, his lips not chapped at all. Rin didn't pull away, so he started to deepen the kiss, pressing his lips against Rin's with more force. Rin's fangs gently poked his lips, but not hard enough to draw blood. He was about to slip his tongue into the other boy's mouth until he noticed Rin shaking. He immediately pulled back, and found tears streaming down Rin's face.

"Ah! Why're ya crying? Did I do somethin' wrong? I thought ya were okay with it, cuz ya leaned in too and closed your eyes… But I can see how ya wouldn't like it, us both bein' guys and all…" He blushed and turned away, putting a hand to the back of his head, worried he had messed up their friendship just when things had been going so well.

"N-no, I'm just s-so happy," Rin sniffled. "I wanted this to be what you meant so badly, but I didn't want to be wrong and ruin everything so I tried not to get my hopes up." He continued crying, and even that looked cute when Rin did it, Ryuji noted.

He awkwardly reached out and lightly hugged the smaller boy. Rin squeezed him back, hard. Ryuji smiled. "You're not goin' ta ruin anything Rin," he said gently. "I really like ya." Rin just hugged him harder and wrapped his tail around Ryuji's waist, and the two watched the sun set from the top of the Ferris wheel.

**A/N: I hope the characters aren't too OOC! I thought they were weird around the middle, but that may be because it's getting really late and I haven't been sleeping well.**

**And this time I'm giving invisible cupcakes to everyone! Tell me what you're favorite kind is too because I love baking and I want to try making some new flavors. There will definitely be one more chapter (maybe a lemon if you guys want one) but I have a really long plot planned out if you want me to keep going past that. As always, please tell me what you guys think!**


	3. Chapter 3

Ryuji blinked into a shock of blond hair. He pushed it back, and, sitting up, started recalling the events of the night before. After the kiss on the Ferris wheel, he and Rin had walked home together. They had kissed one more time before parting, just a brush of their lips, and Ryuji had been in a daze ever sense. He was still in shock that he was now dating the boy he'd had his eyes on from the moment he first saw him.

He shook his head to clear it and blinked on more time before getting up. He glance at Shima, passed out on the bed next to him. He had probably been up reading dirty magazines all night. Ryuji continued to the bathroom, and used the mirror to clip his hair back. He put on his running clothes and left on his usual jog.

Fortunately, he didn't run into Rin. He wasn't sure what he should say when he next saw the boy. Rin had been responding to his advances so far, but he didn't know how much was too much. He didn't want to mess things up before they had even begun.

When he got back home, he found Shima awake but groggy. "How far did you get last night?" he asked, a sly grin spreading across his face.

"Shut up," Ryuji mumbled, making his way to the bathroom. Shima would twist anything he said, and the idiot would never believe him if he said they just kissed. He yawned, still tired from waking up after having a late night. Hopefully the shower would help wake him up.

His daily routine finished quickly, and all too soon he was walking to class, still unsure what he was going to say to Rin. He walked in right as class began and quickly walked to his seat. Yukio gave him a funny look before beginning that day's lesson. Ryuji glanced at Rin before pulling out his notebook and beginning to take notes, deciding to worry about Rin later. He had been doing that a lot lately.

Lunch came all too soon for Ryuji's liking. The prospect of talking to Rin was daunting, but he wasn't going to avoid him after what had happened the day before. He walked over to Rin, who was sitting with Shiemi, Konekomaru, and Shima. Shima kept glancing between him and Rin, a confused look on his face. Ryuji snorted, figuring Shima thought he and Rin should be hanging off each other and acting like newlyweds.

"Hey, Bon, what's up?" Rin asked. Konekomaru and Shima added their greetings, and Shiemi smile at him.

"Nothin'," Ryuji said as he sat down. Shima and Konekomaru were looking at him expectantly. "What?" he finally asked looking at each of them in turn.

"It's nothing," Konekomaru said quietly, not wanting to mention it and make things awkward.

Shima, however, had no such reservations. "You didn't get mad at him for calling you Bon! Are you guys all lovey-dovey now?" Ryuji was furious, but before he shouted back, he looked at Rin. Rin looked unsure, and his tail flicked softly from side to side.

Not wanting to hurt Rin's feelings after how insecure he had seemed the night before, he grumbled, "So what if we are? It's got nothin' ta do with ya if we are." Shima's eyes got big. He had probably thought nothing happened after Ryuji had brushed him off that morning. Konekomaru and Shiemi seemed shocked, but the most surprised-looking of all of them was Rin.

His mouth hung open and he stared at Ryuji. Ryuji inwardly cursed. It was possible Rin hadn't wanted their friends to know. He was trying to find a way to take back what he said wen Rin reached into his bag and pulled out a bento, handing it to Ryuji. Ryuji looked down at the lunch in his hands and back at Rin.

"Well, ya see," he muttered shyly, "I made it for ya this morning, but I was't sure if I should give it to ya with if everyone watching. In case ya didn't want them knowing or something..."

"I s'pose there's nothin' I can do about it now anyway," he said opening the box. He regretted opening the box as soon as he saw the contents. Rin had made him a very childish lunch, complete with a heart on the rice. He couldn't hurt Rin's feelings though, so he took a bite. And immediately decided he didn't care what the lunch looked like.

"Do ya like it?" Rin asked. Ryuji would have responded, but he was too busy eating. Everything had been cooked to perfection, and the seasonings were amazing. He almost forgot how embarrassing the food looked, until Shima started laughing.

"I still can't believe it! Not only is Bon dating Okumura, he's actually willing to eat a lunch like that? I wish I had a camera."

Ryuji again felt his temper rising. Shima had been bothering him a lot lately, and even being close friends wasn't going to save him from Ryuji's anger if he didn't shut up.

"There's no way they'll last. They could hardly get along as friends, and Bon turned on him pretty quickly after discovering he was the son of Satan," Shima went on, ignoring Ryuji's wrath. "And remember when-" Ryuji raised his fist, intent on smashing into Shima's face, when Shiemi cut in.

"I think it's cute," she said. "Ryuji and Rin may have fights, but they always make up in the end." Everyone stared at her.

"S-Shiemi," Rin said, looking surprised. Ryuji was quite surprised himself. He had thought that Shiemi had liked Rin and would be at least slightly upset at their relationship. However, he was grateful for her support.

Shima was the first to speak again. "I guess it might work out," he said with a sigh. "Sorry, Bon. I'm just really surprised is all." He didn't look completely convinced, and Ryuji didn't feel very forgiving, but there was nothing he could do so he accepted the apology and began eating again. All things considered, telling their friends could have gone worse. He was starting to relax and talk to the others when Yukio walked up to the group.

"I'm sorry, but I can talk to you, Nii-san, for a minute?" Everyone looked up at him. "Aone," he added. Rin got up and followed him. Sheimi glanced at Ryuji, who shrugged and continued eating.

-New POV-

Rin followed Yukio away from the group. "What do ya want?" he asked. He knew he hadn't done well enough on the test to go on the next mission with Yukio.

"I want you to break up." Rin's mouth dropped open.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: So from the way things are going, I'll probably update once every two weeks instead of every week. Thank you for all you reviews, follows, and favorites! They really keep me motivated. Now onward with the story!**

"I want you to break up," Yukio stated, glasses flashing. Rin's eyes opened wide. A range of emotion surged through him, but first and foremost was anger.

"Why does it matter to you," he hissed. "It's none of your business, Yukio."

"Explain this," Yukio said, holding up a sheet up paper. It was Rin's most recent test. He had covered it in doodles of hearts and other things. "Where were you yesterday? Your homework was completely blank today, not even a problem attempted. That's even worse than usual! You'll do nothing but drag down both of your grades."

Rin gaped at him before turning around and stalking back to his group of friends.

-(Regular POV)-

Ryuji glanced up as Rin walked over. He was smiling, but he seemed tense all the same. "What did Okumura-sensei want?" he asked as Rin sat down.

Rin gave him a look that said he'd tell Ryuji later. He turned back to the rest of the group and said "Nothing of importance." Ryuji may have fallen for it if it wasn't for how carefully controlled Rin's tone of voice was. He would have to ask him again when they were alone.

* * *

It turned out that their alone time would not happen for a while. When they got back to the classroom, Yukio was standing at his desk with a serious look on his face. All the students hurried to their seats

"We have a mission," Yukio announced to the class. "A lot of low level demons have gathered in an area nearby, and the headmaster instructed us to exterminate them."

A few students, including Ryuji and Izumo, opened their mouths to talk, but they were interrupted by a shout from near the front of the classroom. "FINALLY! We get some ACTION!" Rin was standing up on his chair, flashing a victory sign at the rest of the class. Ryuji couldn't help but chuckle to himself as Rin yet again showed his childish side. He was finding more and more things about the boy to be adorable.

He immediately turned serious again when he heard what Yukio said next. "Nii-san, let me finish. This mission may be dangerous, as it is unknown how many demons have gathered there by now." Rin's grin got bigger, and Ryuji knew he was getting even more excited at the prospect of danger. "The risks will be increased," Yukio continued, staring- or was he glaring?- at Rin, "if we can't all remember proper teamwork. Do NOT focus on the safety of just one person." Ryuji blinked, wondering why Yukio was choosing to remind them of that right before the mission. After all, they had already passed the teamwork assignment he had given them.

Ryuji looked at Rin again, and found him glaring at Yukio. He wondered if the amount of anger in Rin's gaze had anything to do with the earlier conversation between Rin and Yukio. He shrugged off his curiosity, figuring he would find out after the mission when he had a chance to ask Rin about it. Yukio had opened a door to a clearing using one of Mephisto's special keys, and Ryuji didn't hesitate to follow Shima and Konekomaru through the doorway.

They stepped into a clearing in the middle of a forest. Even though it had been midday when they left the school, it was dark. A shiver ran down Ryuji's spine as he felt a cool breeze. "Man, check this place out," Shima said at his side. "It's so creepy! Where are we, anyway?"

Konekomaru shook his head. "It's not that bad Shima. And we're in the forest that's North of True Cross Academy. (1) You would know that if you paid more attention." Ryuji heard a rustle in the distance, and quietly shushed his friends.

"Do ya guys hear that?" he asked, ears straining to catch any further sound coming from that direction. He almost heard something, but Yukio began speaking again before he could be sure.

"Now that we're all here, I'll give you the rest of the details. Kill as many demons as you can, but don't over exert yourselves. You are all low level exorcists-" he was interrupted with a grunt of dissent from Shura, but he continued as if he hadn't heard her, "and we don't need to eliminate all of them, just the majority to prevent the group from becoming overwhelming. And Nii-san, try not to set the forest on fire." Rin looked away, cheeks darkening.

There was that pout again, Ryuji thought, before asking the question that had been nagging at him sense the mission began. "Okumura-sensei, are we goin' ta lure them here, or just wait around for them to show up?" Ryuji asked, earning him a grateful glance from Rin, who didn't want people remembering their last mission in a forest. "If we lure them in a clearing like this, we could be surrounded in seconds."

The other students around him were nodding in agreement. "We will wait," Yukio stated. "In this concentration, one or two should show up any minute now. In fact, I'm surprised they have not attacked already."

As he was ending his sentence, a huge crash came from behind them. All the exorcists whirled around, turning to face a large goblin. Before any of the lower level exorcists could react, Yukio had shot it and was looking for more.

"Hurry and prepare," he said. Shiemi and Izumo summoned their familiars, and Shima raised his staff into an offensive position. Konekomaru and Ryuji both assumed the pose an Aria would use, and Ryuji began running through the chants in his head. Rin drew his sword right as the clearing exploded with monsters.

Ryuji chanted as quickly as he could, destroying goblins, ghouls, and coal tars by the dozen. He couldn't help but wonder why so many demons associated with the King of Rot were doing there, but he didn't have much time to contemplate the fact. Shima was lashing out wildly, and Yukio was hitting a demon with every shot he fired.

Rin was slashing all around him, face screwed up with concentration as he tried to control his flame. Ryuji resisted the impulse to run over to him every time a monster approached. Each time a monster got to close to Rin, he faltered a bit in the verse he was chanting. Konekomaru was giving him sidelong glances, and he did what he could to ignore what was happening with Rin, knowing the boy could take care of himself.

His resolution was going well, until he glanced up and saw a huge salamander running straight at Rin's unprotected back. He threw caution out the window and began chanting through all the verses he could think of, right as the demon let out a stream of flame straight at Rin!

**(1) I have no idea if there's a forest there or not- if anyone knows the layout of True Cross Academy super well, feel free to correct me~**

**A/N: I know there wasn't much romance in this chapter, but I have decided to make this about 8 or 9 chapters long, with an epilogue at the very end, so I've got to set some stuff up. The next chapter will have more interactions between Rin and Ryuji, I promise!**

**Oh, and your treat this time is an invisible loaf of bread! (Like banana or pumpkin bread, though I suppose you could pick a plain loaf too- such is the beauty of invisibility) **


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: I made chocolate this weekend! I was really happy with how it turned out, even though I'm not a big fan of chocolate. My friends all liked it, and I got the invites to my party delivered, so yay! Now forward with the story.**

Ryuji watched, horrified, as the flame sped towards Rin. He wanted to shout to get Rin's attention, but he couldn't make his voice work. He ran, faster than he had ever gone before, and flung them both to the ground as the flame past. He felt the fire graze his back as they landed on the moss. He turned back to start chanting again but he couldn't see the monster.

Ryuji began to panic, until he noticed Yukio holding a smoking gun and the dead heap of Salamander flesh steaming on the ground. "That's the last of them," Yukio announced, his voice hard. "Let's get back to the Academy before another group comes."

Watching as Yukio opened the door to the classroom, Ryuji almost didn't notice the wiggling underneath him. He started to get up, but he was shoved to the side by something below him. Wincing, he glanced to side and saw Rin stand up and brush himself off. He had a few scratches, but he did not appear to be seriously hurt.

"Rin! Are ya alright?" He asked, standing up himself. Rin looked at him with fury.

"Why did you do that, you stupid rooster?" he shouted at Ryuji. "Did you think I couldn't take care of myself?"

Ryuji temper took over and he was shouting back before he even realized it. "Why don't ya thank me for the fact ya aren't charbroiled right now! Ya weren't even looking at it!"

"I had it right where I wanted it! I was waitin' for it to spit the flame so I could roast it while it was recovering!"

Yukio interrupted their shouting match. "Nii-san, Suguro-kun, get through the door! We don't need your yelling bring more monsters down on the Academy." He gestured pointedly to the dead Salamander, and Rin and Ryuji both hurried over to the portal.

When they got into the classroom, their friends were staring at them. Shima was smirking at Ryuji. Ryuji ignored him and turned to Konekomaru instead. He had a pitying look on his face. Shiemi, next to him, looked worried.aå

"Bon, Okumura-kun, are the two of you alright?" Konekomaru asked.

"Fine," Ryuji replied tersely. He watched Rin turn away from him and start talking to Shiemi. He glared at the back of Rin's head, but Rin didn't turn around.

He made a disgusted sound in the back of his throat and stalked to his seat. He wasn't sure who he was more furious with- Rin or himself. Rin should have been more grateful. Even if he had known about the demon and wanted it to flame, he would have suffered serious burns at the very least if it weren't for Ryuji's intervention. But on the other hand, Ryuji knew he shouldn't have lost his temper. After being the one to start things with Rin, he should have tried to have more patience with the boy.

It might be for the best that things didn't work out between them, Ryuji observed gloomily. He would always be watching Rin in battle, which, as Yukio had clearly pointed out, was dangerous for everyone. On top of that, Rin _was_ the son of Satan, whom he was sworn to kill.

He was so lost in these speculations that he didn't notice Shima had been talking to him until the pink-haired by tapped him on the shoulder.

"You alright, Bon? You're really out of it." Ryuji made a noncommittal noise in the back of his throat as Shima watched him. "Look, Bon, I really am sorry things didn't work out between you and Rin."

"Just go away. Class is about ta resume." Yukio was already standing at his desk and most of the class was already seated. A strange expression crossed Yukio's face as he glanced over at the two of them, but it passed quickly and he began the lesson.

* * *

Ryuji grumbled to himself as he walked to his dorm. Rin had proceeded to ignore him for the remainder of the day, and had added insult to injury by getting close to Shiemi and loudly chatting with her. It kind of made Ryuji wonder if Rin had actually ever liked him in the first place.

A noise suddenly came from the hedge up ahead. Ryuji started and glanced around him. The street seemed quiet, but it was almost… too quiet. There were no birds or other small animals about. He looked back at the bushes in front of him. They rustled slightly, and he found himself looking into a pair of big red eyes.

The Reaper hopped slowly out of the bush. Ryuji tried to push down his feelings about the situation with Rin, but it was too late. The demon hopped forward, as if sizing him up. It was only a low level demon, but Ryuji had no defense and he did not know the reaper's fatal verse. He did the only thing he could, which was turn and run as fast as he could in the opposite direction.

The Reaper followed. Ryuji was grateful for him morning jogs, as it was one of the faster Reapers, and he was barely staying ahead. He could feel it gaining on him, and he glanced back at it. There was no way he would ever outrun it. He turned and raised his arms in defense. The reaper leapt at him… and was split right down the middle with a sword covered in blue flames. The demon fell, and Ryuji could see Rin standing in front of him with a half smirk on his face.

"Ya know, it seems like I'm always saving you from these things, huh?" he said casually, gesturing at the fallen Reaper. Ryuji just stared, dumbstruck by Rin's unexpected appearance. "Don't look so surprised, I wanted to apologize, so I followed you. The you started running like a madman away from the Reaper and it took me some time to catch up."

Regaining his voice, Ryuji asked, "Ya wanted to apologize?"

Rin turned away, face red. "I'm not going to say this again, so listen up. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have been so mad at ya; I just didn't want ya to start seeing me as weak. I want things to work out between us, but I think we'll both have to work on not fighting all the time." He held out his hand to Ryuji. "Friends again?" he offered.

Ryuji grabbed Rin's hand and pulled him into a hug. "Yeah, 'm sorry too. I know ya can take care of yourself, but I got worried." He felt Rin smile against his chest and a furry tail crept around his waist. He leaned his face down towards the other boy's, and Rin closed the gap. "I love ya, Rin Okumura," Ryuji muttered.

"Love ya too, Bon," Rin replied, and pulled him into a deeper kiss.

* * *

Above the scene, Mephisto watched with a smirk. "I knew it would work."

The green haired demon next to him was frowning. "He killed my Reaper," Amaimon whined. "You better make up for that."

Mephisto turned and grimaced. "They did take it further than expected. Very well, I suppose I shall cut down some of the debt you still owe me for damaging Mepphyland." Amaimon still did not look satisfied, so Mephisto leaned in and gave him a light kiss. "Better?"

Amaimon nodded. "But you'll have to do a bit more."

Mephisto's resulting smirk was terrifying. "My pleasure."

**A/N: God, these chapters are always so short! I always feel like I've written so much more because I go back and delete half the chapter by the time I am satisfied with it and post it! I've now been hit with a terrible writer's block on top of everything. Well, anyway, invisible truffles to anyone who has stuck with me this far!**


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Sorry for the delay- summer has come so I don't get much time on the computer.**

**So... big silence on the past couple chapters, huh? I kind of feel like I'm dragging out something that died a long time ago *sweat drop* Well, it doesn't matter because this (and a lemon that I will post separately, and epilogue if it is desired) is the last chapter! WARNING: Tons of fluff!**

A cool breeze stirred Ryuji's hair, reminding him that he and Rin should get inside before something else attacked. Rin shifted softly in his arms. "We could go to my place together." Ryuji watched as bush spread over Rin's cheeks. "J-just 'cuz its closer is all," he stammered.

Ryuji was grateful for even the small cover the darkness provided once he realized what Rin was worried about the suggestion sounding like. He knew his face probably rivaled Rin's when he responded with, "Yeah, sure."

Rin unwound his tail and the two of them walked slowly to the abandoned boy's dormitory. The silence was only broken by the occasional rustle of trees and the sound of their feet. Stars littered the sky, and the moon shone brightly. Rin leaned against Ryuji's arm, and he could feel the warmth coming from the other boy's skin. The wind was getting colder, and Ryuji wanted to tug Rin's warm figure into his arms and never let go.

When the building came into view, Ryuji felt an odd sense of disappointment. It had been nice, walking quietly with Rin, despite the dangers of being out at night. Rin evidently felt the same way, for his pace slowed as they approached the dorm. By the time they were at the door, Rin had stopped all together. Ryuji glanced down at him, and was pulled into yet another kiss from Rin.

The smaller boy's mouth was open, so Ryuji took the opportunity and slipped his tongue in. Rin made a small noise as their tongues collided. He pushed Ryuji away and glanced down, embarrassment lighting his cheeks. "Sorry. I just wanted to kiss you once under the stars." Ryuji stared at Rin, the cuteness of the younger boy overwhelming him. He restrained himself from ravishing him then and there, and instead gave Rin one small kiss on the cheek.

"We should head in." Rin nodded in agreement, and they walked inside swiftly. The darkness and silence of the abandoned dorm was eerie. Rin Tugged on Ryuji's arm; leading up to the room he shared with Yukio. The door creaked quietly as Rin opened it, and he looked back and gestured for Ryuji to follow. Through the darkness, Ryuji could see two beds, one with a Yukio- sized lump in it. Rin was tugging him to the other bed.

When they had made their way to that side of the room, Ryuji indicated himself and pointed at the floor. Rin shook his head and kissed him, pulling them both onto the bed. They squirmed to get comfortable, until finally Ryuji was right on top of the younger boy. Rin was still kissing him, and he could feel a growing problem between his legs. Small noises from the other side of the room made them both freeze.

Ryuji looked over at Yukio, who was rolling over in his sleep. Little movements underneath him made him look back at the blue haired boy he was laying on. Rin was shuffling closer to the wall, allowing them to share the bed without being right on top of each other. Ryuji wanted to groan with frustration at not being able to have his way with the other boy, but he rolled off Rin and quietly lay beside him again. Rin looked at him apologetically, so Ryuji gave him a small smile and kissed his forehead.

Rin snuggled close, and Ryuji could feel the boy's fluffy tail sliding closer to him. He wrapped his arms around Rin and closed his eyes.

* * *

The bright light caused Ryuji to squint when he first awoke. There was something warm next to him, so he pulled it closer and murmured before starting to fall back asleep. A dark shadow suddenly blocked the light, and his eyes shot open.

A slightly blurred image of Yukio standing over him greeted him. "Okumura-sensei!" he gasped, startled out of any remaining sleepiness. He gazed around the room, memories of last night coming back to him. He looked down at Rin, snuggled peacefully in his arms, and then looked back at Yukio. "We didn't do anything, I swear," he promised, hoping Yukio wasn't under the misconception that he had defiled his younger brother. A twinge of guilt flicked his conscience when he remembered how close he had gotten, but he pushed it away.

Yukio smiled. It was a friendly smile, so Ryuji felt it was safe to conclude that he wasn't angry. "Suguro-kun, could it be that you are the person Nii-san is dating?" Ryuji stared at him blankly.

"Yes. Didn't we make it obvious?" he asked. Yukio grimaced slightly.

"I apologize. I was certain he was dating Shiemi." Rin stirred in Ryuji's arms as he continued. "She had done rather badly on the test too." Ryuji had no idea what he was talking about, but evidently the freshly awakened Rin did.

"Stupid Yukio. Don't jump to conclusions like that," Rin hissed, fury lighting in his eyes. "And I'm not gonna break up with him, so go away!"

"Actually, it's completely fine if you two are dating," Yukio stated. Rin and Ryuji both stared at him. "I was worried Shiemi would distract Rin," Yukio explained. "Neither of them do very well, and I didn't want them both failing. After all, not becoming an exorcist would be a death sentence for Rin." He smiled at them, and this time Ryuji felt a shiver. That was a threatening smile. "Of course, if you plan to remain dating, I recommend that you, Rin, start getting at least a 65% on all you tests." With that, Yukio pushed his glasses up and walked away.

"Oh, and hurry and make breakfast, nii-san," he called from the other room. The boys turned to each other.

"I guess ya _have_ ta study with me now," Ryuji pointed out, and Rin's eyes got big.

"Bon, let's at least have one more date before we have to break up. There's no way I can do that well!"

"Ya can, and ya will," Ryuji grunted, pushing Rin away and standing up. It felt weird to be waking up so late. The promise of Rin's cooking made his mouth water, and an idea formed in his mind. "I'll go on one more date with ya before we study… if ya hurry up and make breakfast now." Rin nodded, and hurried out of bed, grabbing an apron on his way out.

Ryuji looked around, and spotting the bathroom, went to go get cleaned up. When he exited the bathroom, the delicious smell of breakfast greeted him.

(A/N: This is where the lemon chapter picks up, so this is the alternate ending)

He walked downstairs to find Rin flipping pancakes. Rin turned as he approached, and gave a huge smile. Ryuji wrapped his arms around the smaller boy and leaned in for a kiss. Yukio gave a quiet cough from the table, reminding Ryuji that they had an audience. Rin stood on his tiptoes and closed the gap, pecking Ryuji on the lips.

"Go sit down now," the half-demon ordered. "Otherwise the pancakes will burn if ya keep distracting me." Ryuji walked quickly over to the table, though he figured Rin's cooking would probably be good even if it were burned. Yukio smiled at him, and told him good morning.

Ryuji nodded and mumbled a "good mornin'" in reply. Rin carefully brought over three plates of food. Ryuji's eyes widened at the heaps of eggs and pancakes. The bacon looked perfectly crunchy and the strawberries were the most perfect color he had ever seen. He dug in immediately, and the blend of spices that Rin had used made him feel like he was in heaven.

Rin was grinning at him, and he grinned back. "It's delicious," he said as Rin walked over.

"I made it for ya so of course it's good," Rin responded. He kissed Ryuji softly. Ryuji grabbed the boy and pulled him onto his lap.

"Love ya," he told Rin, burying his face in the other boys neck. Rin relaxed in his arms. "I love ya too, Ryuji."

**A/N: This was really embarrassing to write. Some random kid was looking over my shoulder without my realizing it while I was writing. When I did notice, our exchange went something like this:**

**Her: You're a good writer. *Walks away***

**Me: O.o Well. That was weird. *Crosses fingers that she never tells anyone what she saw***

**Anyway, tell me if you want an epilogue, and I'll have the… extra chapter posted as soon as I can. I'm going to mark this as complete anyway, but those chapters will come (eventually)!**


	7. Epilogue

**A/N: I wanted to post this yesterday for 4th of July, but I just couldn't write that quickly. I'm both sad and relieved that I am finally wrapping this up. The last bonus chapter will be posted separately on my profile as Tough Choices. I'm kind of afraid to write it though, haha.**

Snowflakes drifted softly to the ground outside the abandoned boy's dorm at True Cross Academy. The atmosphere inside was festive, and a warm fire burned in the corner of the room. The sound of laughter and the aroma of spice cake drifted in the air.

Ryuji was sitting on a plush couch, with his boyfriend Rin snuggled up to his side. He absentmindedly reached out and pet the boy's fluffy tail, yet again marveling at it's softness. Rin twitched it in pleasure and snuggled closer to his side, reminding Ryuji of a cat. As if summoned by his thoughts, Kuro jumped up onto Rin's lap. Ryuji watched as Rin pet the small demon cat until he started purring contentedly. Feeling oddly jealous of the attention Rin was giving his familiar, Ryuji leaned over and kissed the smaller boy.

Rin parted his lips, allowing Ryuji to slip his tongue in. He slid it around Rin's now very familiar mouth, feeling soft pricks from the half-demon's fangs. He pulled Rin up into his lap, dislodging Kuro. The cat shot him a look, but Ryuji hardly noticed, his attention fully on Rin and the small sounds he was making. No matter how many times they kissed, he never got tired of the way the other boy felt in his arms.

He started to slip his hands up into the boy's shirt. His fingers explored the tight muscle of Rin's stomach until a soft cough interrupted him. "It's almost time to open presents," Yukio said, looking at the pair.

"We can continue later," Rin whispered as he slid off Ryuji's lap. The tree sat in the middle of the room, green and dripping with decorations. Mountains of presents in all shapes and sizes sat beneath it. Ryuji gazed around at all his friends surrounding the tree. Shima, Konekomaru, Shiemi, Izumo, Yukio, and even Shura were all there at the party, joking and hanging out. Next to him, Rin's eyes lit up as Yukio reached under the tree and pulled out the first present. It was for Izumo, who couldn't help the small grin that spread across her face at the little fox figurine Shiemi had gotten for her. It made Ryuji notice how close the group had gotten since the day they first met. Especially himself and Rin.

A present thrust into his face by a beaming Rin jolted him out of his thoughts. He took the small package and carefully untied the little green bow. Rin was bouncing with impatience as he tugged of the wrapping and Ryuji shook his head at how much energy the half demon had. He turned his attention back to the little box and pulled open the cardboard.

Inside were two small but thick metal earrings. Ryuji picked one up, noticing that it wasn't smooth inside. He glanced in and found the words_ I love you_ engraved in fancy lettering on the metal.

"Do ya like them?" Rin asked, face glowing. Ryuji just hugged Rin, not able to say anything. He hadn't been expecting something that personal from his boyfriend. When he let go, Rin jumped up and ran quickly to the tree, routing through all the piles of presents. He came back looking satisfied and holding what Ryuji recognized as his gift for Rin.

The boy tore into the wrapping as if the world would end if he didn't see what was inside in the next 30 seconds. He finally had it undone, and he looked inside. Ryuji began to wonder if he had somehow offended the boy because of how long Rin just stared into the box. He started pulling it out, and Ryuji's eyes jumped to all the little mistakes in the scarf. He had spent the last few nights putting it together. It was light blue with _I believe in you_ embroidered in a darker blue on one of the ends. He had wanted to make something that would encourage Rin to work on controlling his flame and keep him warm.

Face reddening, he was about to take the present back and say he had wrapped the wrong thing, when Rin looked up at him then back to the scarf. A huge grin spread over his face. "Thanks, Bon, I love it," he gasped, putting the scarf around his neck before pulling Ryuji close. "It's so soft!" Ryuji started blushing even more as he saw Shima walking up to them.

The pink haired boy chuckled slightly at the scene in front of him. "Merry Christmas guys," he said, holding out two presents wrapped in pink paper. Rin let go of Ryuji so he could grab his present. He set it on the tabled next to him and hurried over to the tree. Shima watched him for a second before turning back to Ryuji.

"Hey Bon, I just wanted to apologize for how I acted in the beginning. With your relationship, I mean," he said, turing away slightly and raising his hand to the back on his neck. Ryuji watched him silently, not sure if he liked where the conversation was headed. His relationship with Shima had been strained since he and Rin had hooked up, and he still wasn't sure if his friend accepted that he was dating a boy. "And, uh, I really am glad you guys proved me wrong. You make a cute couple." He glanced back at Ryuji to see if his apology had been accepted.

Ryuji shrugged. "'T's not a big deal," he mumbled before smiling at Shima. Shima grinned back and relaxed, and everything was normal between them again. Rin got back from the tree then with a present in each hand. He seemed slightly confused at what had happened between the two while he was gone, but appeared pleased that the tension that had been following them had disappeared. He quickly handed both presents to Shima.

"Merry Christmas, Shi-chan! The big one's from me and the smaller one is from Bon," he explained, eyes glowing. Shima turned his smile onto Rin.

Shima tucked the presents under his arm. "Thanks, Rin-chan! I'm going to go give this to Okumura-sensei now," he said, waving a small box in the air before walking away. Rin was just sitting down next to Ryuji again when Shiemi walked over.

"Hey Shiemi," Rin greeted her when she got close enough. Ryuji gave her a smile as she handed a big present to him. "That's for both of you," she explained. "It's from myself and Nee-chan." Her face was flushed with excitement as she smiled earnestly at them. "It's so fun to celebrate with everyone. I never really had friends before I came to the academy."

Ryuji watched as Rin smiled back at her, surprised when he didn't feel jealous at all. Shiemi had supported his dating Rin form the beginning though, and now he was just as much her friend as Rin was.

Drunk laughter came from the doorway, and all three of teens looked over to see Shura laughing as Yukio and Shima stood under the mistletoe. Yukio was red and flustered, but Shima just leaned over and kissed his cheek before handing him his present and walking away with a smile.

Ryuji laughed, and he could hear Rin and Shiemi cracking up as well as Shura put an arm over Yukio's shoulder and teased him loudly about how much he acted like a virgin. Ryuji looked at Rin, trying to memorize his laughter. It was clear and friendly, and Ryuji never wanted it to change. Rin noticed him looking and smirked at him before grabbing his arm and dragging him to the mistletoe.

Ryuji's face was scarlet when everyone turned to look at them right as Rin reached up and planted a kiss on Ryuji's mouth. Yukio, who had finally shaken off Shura's arm, walked over as everyone else giggled about "the happy couple." He was opening his mouth to talk, but was interrupted by a shout of "Fantastic!"

A pink, pointed-toe boot appeared in the doorway. It was soon followed by the rest of a person, one with a rather peculiar fashion sense. Mephisto Pheles stood in the doorway with his usual creepy smile plastered across his face. "What a party! But it seems you have forgotten to invite me," he announced and strolled over to the table covered in sweets Rin had made. "However, I will forgive you because you set all this food out for me."

Half the people in the room rushed over to defend the food from Mephisto, who was now aided by Amaimon. Ryuji wasn't sure when Amaimon had gotten there, or why either demon was there in the first place, but Yukio and Rin seemed unbothered by their presence. He turned back to Yukio and greeted him.

"Merry Christmas, Okumura-sensei.

"Merry Christmas, Suguro-kun," Yukio responded with a smile. "Here's something to thank you for taking care of my brother," he held out a smile package that Ryuji politely accepted. "He really has been doing better on his tests since you began tutoring him. He's less impulsive in battle these days as well.

Rin scowled at that. "Why are you talking about me like I'm not here, Yukio?"

Yukio pushed up his glasses at Rin. "You, nii-san, need to be studying even more. I'll give you your present when you pull a C or higher." He walked away, ignoring all Rin's pleading and shouts of, "That's not fair!"

Watching his small, hyper boyfriend, Ryuji felt himself smile. He wanted to give something special to Rin, away from everyone else. He walked over to the boy. "'T's kinda hot in here. Ya want ta go outside?" he asked, hoping Rin would agree.

Rin did, and very enthusiastically. "Race ya!" he shouted as he started sprinting outside. Ryuji started after him, running as fast as he could. It reminded him of when they were both in the physical training class running from the Reaper. Knowing it was pointless as he had never outrun the boy before, he put on as much speed as he could. Despite his best efforts, the small figure in front of him burst out of the door seconds before he could catch up.

"Cheater," he gasped as soon as he was outside. "Ya had a head start." Rin was panting too hard to reply. Instead, he fell back into the snow and started waving his arms. He looked crazy and Ryuji laughed when he started waving his feet as well. Rin looked at him and laughed too before standing up. He walked closer to Ryuji, who took a step forward.

Rin put his arms out as if he were about to hug Ryuji, but instead shoved him back into the snow. Ryuji grunted as he hit the ground, noting how cold the snow was without a jacket on. Rin smirked above him and bent over to put his hands on Ruji's chest to block his escape.

"Rin," Ryuji complained. "What're ya doin'?"

Rin had a mischievous look on his face. "Make a snow angel," he commanded. Ryuji knew he looked like an idiot as he waved his arms and legs, but he had to admit it was fun anyway. He soon found Rin helping him up and instructing him how to walk away without destroying the snow angel.

When he finished, he looked over to Rin. The boy snuggled close to him and partially unwrapped the scarf, putting a bit around Ryuji's neck. "You were shivering," he explained. They looked at the snow angels. One was small and delicate, while the other looked almost macho.

"I should work on that," Ryuji said, gesturing to the snow. Rin gave a quiet laugh before snuggling closer into Ryuji's side and putting his tail around Ryuji's waist. It bumped Ryuji's pocket, reminding him why he had brought Rin out in the first place.

"I've got another present for ya. It's for your birthday." He reached into his pocket and brought out a small parcel, which he handed to an intrigued Rin. "It's not much," he said as the boy pulled the wrapping off.

Inside was a little Mepphyland snow globe, with a miniature version of the Mephisto statue and the ferris wheel he and Rin had ridden. Rin shook it up and watched the white flakes flutter down. "We never did get souvenirs on our first date, did we?" he said, looking at Ryuji. Ryuji shook his head before leaning in for a quick kiss.

"Merry Christmas and happy birthday, Rin. Let's spend all our Christmas together from now on.

"Forever."

**A/N: I did it! I reached my 10,000 word goal, and this chapter had the most I'd ever written! I'm giving a giant invisible four layer cake to anyone who read through this whole thing. And please tell me if you notice errors- FF didn't like this story and kept giving me "p style="margin: 0px; color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: arial; font-size: small;" I have no idea what it meant but I did what I could to fix it *Sweatdrop***

**I still can't believe it's over. Thanks so much to everyone who stuck with me! *Cries tears of joy***

**For anyone who has read the first chapter of Prince of Gehenna, I'll be working more on that soon!**


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